Hi All. We are heading to the Big Island in December, and my son and I want to try shore diving in Puaka Bay. We normally do boat diving, but for the cost, this looks like a great way to do it. First off, anybody experienced with shore diving at Puaka bay, and can you give us any pointers. Second, is there a good spot to rent tanks and weights that is close by (Kohala)

:Hi All. :We are heading to the Big Island in December, and my son and I want to try :shore diving in Puaka Bay. We normally do boat diving, but for the cost, :this looks like a great way to do :it. :First off, anybody experienced with shore diving at Puaka bay, and can you :give us any pointers. :Second, is there a good spot to rent tanks and weights that is close by :(Kohala) : :Thanks in advance. :Randy

First off it is Puako. Kohala Divers can rent you tanks. Be advised the our December swell comes from the west and northwest. Puako is open to the west and northwest. You also want to dive early, before the wind comes up. Puako is about 40 miles north of Kialua-Kona, so depending where you are staying it may be a bit of a drive.

Tim

randy neifer wrote: > Hi All. > We are heading to the Big Island in December, and my son and I want to try > shore diving in Puaka Bay. We normally do boat diving, but for the cost, > this looks like a great way to do > it. > First off, anybody experienced with shore diving at Puaka bay, and can you > give us any pointers. > Second, is there a good spot to rent tanks and weights that is close by > (Kohala) > > Thanks in advance. > Randy > >

>"randy neifer" <rneifer@hotmail.com> pounded away at his keyboard >resulting in: > >:Hi All. >:We are heading to the Big Island in December, and my son and I want to try >:shore diving in Puaka Bay. We normally do boat diving, but for the cost, >:this looks like a great way to do >:it. >:First off, anybody experienced with shore diving at Puaka bay, and can you >:give us any pointers. >:Second, is there a good spot to rent tanks and weights that is close by >:(Kohala) >: >:Thanks in advance. >:Randy > >This answer has nothing to do with shore diving. I went to Kona last >year and had a great time. Trip report available at, >http://www.pathcom.com/~bracuk/Trips/Kona.htm > >Dan Bracuk >Never use a big word when a diminutive one will do. > >----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Unrestricted-Secure Usenet News==---- >http://www.newsfeeds.comThe #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups >----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =----

30 Sep 2007 14:35:39

Re: Kona Coast Hawaii shore diving (need info)

I had a great dive right in the main harbor just at end. some dolphins were swimming through so we dove in and found 90 ft of water.at bottom was 3 eagle rays and then we started working back up on the gentle slope up. Headed back Oct 30th and would like find a dive buddy to explore more shore diving. It is cheaper and the coast dropps just like that so no long swims required to outer reefs. Have fun

01 Oct 2007 15:43:40

-hh

Re: Kona Coast Hawaii shore diving (need info)

mfa...@hotmail.com wrote: > I had a great dive right in the main harbor just at end.

Was this by the Captain Cook memorial, or am I getting my landmarks messed up?

Also, any suggestions for snorkeling sites in Maui?

-hh

02 Oct 2007 16:54:34

Dillon Pyron

Re: Kona Coast Hawaii shore diving (need info)

Thus spake "Timothy S. Ewing" <time2dive@hawaii.rr.com > :

>First off it is Puako. Kohala Divers can rent you tanks. Be advised >the our December swell comes from the west and northwest. Puako is open >to the west and northwest. You also want to dive early, before the wind >comes up. Puako is about 40 miles north of Kialua-Kona, so depending >where you are staying it may be a bit of a drive.

It's going to be a bitch entry and exit regardless of the time of day. Not exactly my idea of a place to shore dive in Decemeber.

> >Tim > >randy neifer wrote: >> Hi All. >> We are heading to the Big Island in December, and my son and I want to try >> shore diving in Puaka Bay. We normally do boat diving, but for the cost, >> this looks like a great way to do >> it. >> First off, anybody experienced with shore diving at Puaka bay, and can you >> give us any pointers. >> Second, is there a good spot to rent tanks and weights that is close by >> (Kohala) >> >> Thanks in advance. >> Randy >> >> -- dillon

Elvis is still dead

11 Oct 2007 20:36:58

Dillon Pyron

Re: Kona Coast Hawaii shore diving (need info)

Thus spake -hh <recscuba_google@huntzinger.com > :

>mfa...@hotmail.com wrote: >> I had a great dive right in the main harbor just at end. > >Was this by the Captain Cook memorial, or am I getting my landmarks >messed up? > > >Also, any suggestions for snorkeling sites in Maui?

Wow, is this late. But nobody seems to have bothered answering it.

Of course, all the people who want your money will tell you Molokini. Which might be nice if you want to snorkle with 1000 of your closest friends.

Head over to West Maui and go past Lahaina, Ka'anapali and Kahana. There are several very nice bays up that way. Most are a pretty nasty hike from the road and we had a real pain diving there, but if all you want ot do is snorkle, it shouldn't be a problem. I'll dig out my dive guide and give you the names. Most of these are visited heavily on the weekends by residents, but the tourists don't know about them.

> > >-hh -- dillon

Elvis is still dead

11 Oct 2007 19:49:42

-hh

Re: Kona Coast Hawaii shore diving (need info)

Dillon Pyron <dmpyronINVA...@austin.rr.com > wrote: > Thus spake -hh <recscuba_goo...@huntzinger.com> : > > >mfa...@hotmail.com wrote: > >> I had a great dive right in the main harbor just at end. > > >Was this by the Captain Cook memorial, or am I getting my landmarks > >messed up? > > >Also, any suggestions for snorkeling sites in Maui? > > Wow, is this late. But nobody seems to have bothered answering it.

Thanks for the effort, but its also OBE now. Maui seems a bit excessively developed so settled instead on Poipu, Kauai and Kona, Hawaii ... but have to go to Cayman Brac for awhile first.

-hh

12 Oct 2007 09:21:31

Greg Mossman

Re: Kona Coast Hawaii shore diving (need info)

On Oct 11, 7:49 pm, -hh <recscuba_goo...@huntzinger.com > wrote:

> Thanks for the effort, but its also OBE now. Maui seems a bit > excessively developed so settled instead on Poipu, Kauai and Kona, > Hawaii ... but have to go to Cayman Brac for awhile first.

Maui is pretty developed in many areas, but in no way as excessively as S. Florida. Outside of the Kihei-Wailea and Lahaina-Kaanapali- Kapalua tourist corridors, it's really not much developed at all. Even Lahaina, the tourist capital of the island, is still a mere town. The only real "city" is Wailea, primarily visited only by locals unless you have a medical emergency such as an eel bite which necessitates a visit to the ER - it's smack dab in the center of the island and therefore doesn't interfere with tourists sticking to the coasts.

As Dillon pointed out, once you drive north of Kapalua, there are numerous bays for snorkeling and/or shore diving. This area, the "West Maui Mountains" is practically uninhabited. There's also good snorkeling and decent shore diving to the south, past Wailea. I like the north shore, which most tourists quickly blow by on their road to Hana, for the hippy town of Paia and the overpriced but excellent Mama's Fish House. The upcountry area is also nice and quiet, again usually ignored by most tourists bent on summitting Haleakala.

Maui might draw more visitors than Hawaii or Kauai, but since there are far more things for the visitors to do, they tend to be more spread out. I've been in traffic jams on all three islands - Kauai can have some of the worst. I've also found almost complete solitude at the most popular of Maui's tourist attractions simply by virtue of good timing.

While there are good things to be said about Hawaii and Kauai, there are also very good reasons why Maui is the most popular island. My two most favorite tourist activities are diving and eating and Maui is unquestionably has the best diving and dining of the three islands. If you're into golf, likewise. Scenery? Island drives? It's got it all, even an easily accessible volcano summit. As they say, Maui no ka oi.

That said, if you visit Hawaii, you have the chance to see a live volcano and do a night dive or even snorkel with the mantas. The snorkelers seemed to enjoy the experience as much as the divers since the mantas kept looping from the surface down to the 30' plateau where the divers sit.

In Poipu, there's a good snorkeling spot right in front of the Beachhouse restaurant and it's probably one of the best restaurants for eating as well.